Apparatus for producing and preparing certain articles of food.



No. 738,242. PATENTRD SEPT. 8, 1903.- L. ROMERO & E. RODRIGUEZ-TAHOEAPPARATUS FOR PRODUCING AND PREPARING CERTAIN ARTICLES OF FOOD..

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 22,-1903.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

N0 MODEL.

I INVENZORS 012 W m ATTORNEYS APPARATUS FOR PRODU PATENTED SEPT. 8,1903. L. ROMERO & E. RODRIGUEZ-Y-ARGE.

N0 MODEL.

3'SHEETSSHEET 2.

vla 1/ 72- AN 1 rm 15 30 r WITNESSES: INVENTORS "v! 4 I M m ATT8RNEYSNo. 738,242. PATENTED SEPT. 8, 1903. L. ROMERO & E. RODRIGUEZ-Y-ARGE.'APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING AND PREPARING CERTAIN ARTICLES OF FOOD.

APPLIUATION FILED JAN. 22, 1903.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 8.

N0 MODEL.

INVENTORS ,flZLATTORNEYS UNITED STATES Patented September 8, 1903.

PATENT OFFICE.

APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING AND PREPARING CERTAIN ARTICLES OF FOOD.

SPECIFICATION forming part Of Letters Patent N 0. 738,242, datedSeptember 8, 1903.

Application filed January 22,1903. Serial No. 140,082. (No model.)

T0 ttZl whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, LUIS ROMERO and EYERARDO RODRIGUEZ-Y-AROE, citizensof Mexico, and residents of the city of Mexico, Mexico, haveinvented'certain'new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Producingand Preparing Certain Articles of Food, of which the following is aspecification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forminga part thereof.

Our invention relates to improvements in apparatus for producing andpreparing certain articles of food, and particularly to apparatus forproducing and preparing tortillas.

The tortilla is a staple article of food in the Republic of Mexico andis eaten there in large quantities by all classes of people. It isparticularly eaten by the laboring class, whose diet consists, byweight, of more than one-half tortillas. In fact, the diet of alargeproportion of such class consists of from two-thirds to three-quarterstortillas. The tortilla is practically a griddle-cake, usually from fiveto six inches round and from onesixteenth to one-eighth of an inch thickand composed of ground corn or maize. It is usually prepared by soakingIndian corn or maize in hot water with lime for a certain length of timeuntil the grain and the hull or outside skin is softened and thengrinding the grain and hull together to form a dough. A small portion ofthe dough is then taken between the hands, where it is rolled andkneaded into a thin fiat round disk and finally patted and smoothed bythe hands until it is almost polished. Lastly, it is baked upon a hotdry stone or griddle. The working of the dough in the hands, coupledwith the presence of the hull or skin of the corn, causes the tortillabefore it is baked to retain and practically seal up a certain amount ofmoisture within it, so that when the tortilla is baked the hot vaporsgenerated from such moisture will cause the tortilla to almost separateinto two very thin sheets. This condition is usually accepted by theconsumer as evidence of the correct preparation and good cooking of thetortilla.

The object of our present invention is to produce by mechanicalappliances an article of food closely resembling the handmade tortilla.

We will now proceed to describe with reference to the accompanyingdrawings an apparatus embodying our invention in which the foregoingresult may be attained, and will then point out the novel features inclaims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a View, partly in side elevation and partlyin central longitudinal section, of an apparatus embodying ourinvention. Fig. 2 is a View in central vertical section through theforming-machine. Fig. 3 is an under side view of certain formingmechanism employed. Fig. 4 is a View in central vertical section ofcertain parts of the machine illustrated in Fig. 2, the section beingtaken upon the plane of the line 4 40f Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a detailsectional view of certain cams employed for operating the formingmembers. Fig. 6 is a view in side elevation of the forming-machine,showing same connected by belting to a suitable drive-shaft. Fig. 7 is adetail top view of a conveyer-helt employed and a plurality of tortillassupported thereby.

The forming machine illustrated herein comprises a suitable framework 1,a receiving-hopper 2, feeding means 3, and forming mechanism 4. Thefeeding means comprises a suitable casing 5, in open communication atits upper end with the hopper, and intermeshing impelling-wheels 6arranged within same much on the style of a rotary pump. The feedingmeans are arranged to deliver to a receiver 7 in open communication withthe lower end of the casing 5. The receiver is contracted downwardly inone direction and terminates in a discharge opening or slot 8, Whoselength is substantially the width of the receiver in the direction inwhich it is not contracted (see Fig. 4:) and whose width is equal toabout the thickness of the articles to be formed. (See Fig. 2.)

Forming members 9 are arranged to recip rocate toward and away from eachother, with their inner ends traveling within the slot ordischarge-opening S. The said form ing members 9 are suitably guided inportions secured to or forming a part of the receiver 7 and are engagedand operated by levers 10. The levers lOare arranged transversely of theforming members and are pivoted to the framework at 11 and controlled intheir movements by cams 12, mounted upon a vertical shaft 13. Springs29, secured at one end to the framework and at the other end to the saidlevers, hold the levers 10 up to the face of the cams 12. is mounted torotate in suitable bearings in the framework 1 and is connected by auniversal joint 14 with a shaft15, carrying a balance-wheel16 at itsupper end. The shaft 15 also carries a belt-pulley 17, by which it, andconsequently the shaft 13 carrying the cams 12, may be driven.

A belt-conveyer 18 is arranged to travel beneath the discharge-opening 8and to receive the material delivered therefrom. The said belt-conveyor18 passes around a sup porting-pulley19, carried byashaft20. Said shaftis mounted to rotate in bearing-blocks 21, adjustably secured to theframework 1. As will be seen by reference to Fig. 2, the said blocks arenot only adjustable outwardly, so as to increase or decrease the tensionof the belt, but are also capable of vertical adjustment, so that thebelt may be correctly positioned relatively to the mouth of thedischarge-opening. The conveyer-belt 18 is arranged to pass through asuitable furnace 22, wherein the articles produced in the formingmachineand delivered to the said belt may beproperly baked, and around anidler-pulley 23. The belt may further be supported at different pointsthroughout its length by small idlenrollers 24. The return-runway forsaid belt is within a cool channel 25 beneath the furnace. The shaft 20,carrying the conveyer-belt-supporting pulley 19,isfurther provided witha pulley 26, by which it may be driven. The feeding mechanism 3 is alsoprovided with a suitable drive-pulley 27.

It is essential that a correct relative rate of speed be maintainedbetween the feeding mechanism, the forming mechanism, and theconveyor-belt, and for this purpose we have shown their respectivedrive-pulleys 27, 17, and 26 all connected by belts to pulleys carriedby an intermediate shaft 28. Said intermediate shaft may derive itsmotion from any suitable source of power.

The operation is as follows: The cornmeal or dough is prepared inanysuitable manner, as by grinding and mixing until it is of the rightconsistency,- when it is fed into the hopper 2 of the forming-machine.The impelling or feeding wheels 6 will feed same forward into thereceiver 7 and gradually force it out through the discharge-opening Sand pasttheformingmembers 9. Vhile thedough is being thus discharged,the forming members 9 will be reciprocated toward and away from eachother by the cams 12. The speed of the cam-shaft is so regulated withrespect to the speed of the impelling-wheels as to cause said shaft tomake one complete revolution for each feeding movement sufficient todischarge an amount of dough requisite for a single tortilla or otherarticle to be produced. The commencement of movement of The cam-shaft13' the cams 12 is from a point at which the forming members 9 are in aclosed position, and in order to give a cylindrical shape to the articleformed the first movement of the forming members away from each othershould be an exceedingly rapid one. The cams 12 and the portions of thelevers 1O engaging them are therefore so shaped as to give such movementand later to give a more gradual movement until finally the formers aremoved away from each other the limit of distance required, when the camswill then permit them, first, to draw together gradually, and, finally,to complete their movements very rapidly. The result ofsuch movements ofthe forming members, in combination with the means for forcing thematerial past same, will be to produce an article of practicallycylindrical form and having a thickness substantially equal to the widthof the discharge-opening or slot. We have provided an air-chamber in ahollow rubber ball 30, located in a wall of the receiver 7, to relieveexcess of pressure 'due to the momentary closing of the forming members9 or other causes. belt 18, which is arranged to travel immediatelybeneath the discharge opening and forming members, will be so timed inits movements as to travel just so fast as to receive and carry off thearticles as they are produced, for it will be understood that'were it totravel too fast it would be likely to drag the articles, composed, asthey are, of soft The conveyerplastic material, out of shape, and wereit to travel too'slowly the articles would be liable to be buckled,turned back upon themselves, and caused to overlap each other. Thearticles thus produced will closely resemble the hand-made articles, andfor the reason that the forming mechanism will have a tendency toproduce a smooth and polished surface upon the article and to compressthe material at the outer surface, so that when it is baked the desiredseparation previously referred to Will take place. The articles producedand received by the belt 18 are carried thereby into the furnace 20 andpreferably into the hottest portion of said furnace first. The intenseheat will cause the articles to split or separate in the desired manner,and they will continue to cook and become thoroughly baked as theconveyor-belt 18 carries them completely through the furnace. Theconveyer-belt will preferably extend for some little distance beyond thefurnace, so that the articles will have a chance to slightly cool heforethcy are delivered. Suitable receptacles may be provided to receivethe articles as they are delivered by the belt in passing over theidler-pulley 23.

What we claim is- 1. The combination with forming mechanism comprising aplurality of forming or shaping members, of means, operatingsimultaneously, for moving said members toward and away from each otherand for forcing a plas tic material through said members.

2. The combination with forming mechanism comprising a plurality offorming or shaping members, of means, giving a variable throw, formoving said members toward and away from each other, and means,operating simultaneously therewith, for forcing a plastic materialthrough said members, during their movement toward and away from eachother.

3. The combination with forming mechanism comprisinga plurality offorming or shaping members, of cams for moving said members toward andaway from each other, and means, operating simultaneously therewith,

for forcing a plastic material through saidmembers, while they aremoving toward and away from each other.

4. The combination with forming mechanism comprisinga plurality offorming or shaping members, of means, operating simultaneously, formoving said members toward and away from each other and for forcing aplastic material through said members, and a traveling conveyer forreceiving such material and timed to carry same away from thedischarge-opening While it is being discharged.

5. The combination with forming mechanism comprising a plurality offorming or shapingmembers, of means for moving said members toward andaway from each other, and for simultaneously forcing a plastic materialthrough said members, a conveyer for carrying the material away fromsaid dischargeopening as it is discharged therefrom, and means foradjusting the conveyer toward and away from the mouth of thedischarge-opening.

6. The combination with a receiver having a discharge-opening, of meansfor forcing plastic material through the discharge-opening, forming orshaping mechanism arranged adjacent to the discharge-opening,and meansfor operating the forming mechanism to vary the size of thedischarge-opening while the plastic material is being forcedtherethrongh.

7. The combination with a receiver having a discharge-opening, of meansfor forcing plastic material through the discharge-opening, forming orshaping mechanism arranged adjacent to the discharge-opening,and means,giving a variable throw, for operating the forming mechanism to vary thesize of the discharge-opening while the plastic material is being forcedtherethrough.

8. The combination with a receiver having a discharge -opening and meansfor forcing plastic material through the discharge-opening, of anairchamber for such receiver, forming or shaping mechanism arrangedadjacent to the discharge-opening, and means for operating the formingor shaping mechanism to vary the size of the discharge-opening while theplastic material is being forced therethrough.

9. The combination witha receiver having a discharge-opening, means forforcing plastic material through the discharge-opening, and a hollowrubber ball containing air within said receiver, of forming or shapingmechanism arranged adjacent to the dischargeopening, and means foroperating the forming or shaping mechanism to vary the size of thedischarge-opening while the plastic material is being forcedtherethrough.

10. The combination with rotary impellingwheels and a receiver forreceiving material discharged therefrom, said receiver having acontracted discharge-opening, of forming or shaping mechanism arrangedadjacent to said discharge-opening, and means for operating the formingor shaping mechanism to vary the size of the discharge-opening While theimpelling-wheels are forcing the material therethrough.

11. The combination with rotary impellingwheels and a receiver forreceiving material discharged therefrom, said receiver having acontracted discharge-opening, of forming or shaping members arrangedadjacent to the discharge-opening, cams, giving a variable throw, formoving said members toward and away from each other, and a balance-Wheelconnected to said cams.

In witness whereof we have hereunto set our hands.

LUIS ROMERO. EVERARDO RODRIGUEl-Y-ARCE.

Witnesses to signature of Luis Romero:

FRANK W. PRESTON, G. F. CARRINGTON.

Witnesses to signature of Everardo Rodriguez-y-Arce:

W. A. TOPLIFF, A. M. CAPRILES.

